1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for producing workpieces having a defined profiling.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Impact rolling machines are conventionally used for the cold forming manufacture of cylindrical workpieces which are to be provided with profiled sections having a toothing-like geometry. The movements of the tools (i.e., the working motion, direction and advancement of the profiling wheels or rollers) and the movement of the workpiece (i.e., the axial advancement to the tools as well as the rotation of the workpiece) must be geometrically coordinated with one another in order to achieve the desired profiling with the corresponding dimensions and precision.
The working motion and advancing motion of the tools as well as the workpiece can generally be continuous, which can be realized by the coupling these movements by way of mechanical or electronic drives. However, for the production of a predefined straight or helical toothing, the workpiece should ideally be rotated discontinually or intermittently.
Such a movement can be achieved mechanically, for example, by way of a gearbox construction on the basis of the Maltese cross gearing. Such a gearing allows the generation of discontinuous rotation movements starting from a continuously rotating drive apparatus. The respective rotation steps or partitioning steps are thereby dependent on the geometry of the gearing as well as its gear ratio. As such, the partitioning steps to be achieved must be defined and the gearing accordingly developed and constructed on the basis thereof. Such a gearing and, therefore, the production installation are generally limited to a preselected workpiece tooth number.
Owing to these limitations, a separate gearing must be constructed for each different workpiece tooth number. This represents a relatively high complexity, which last but not least is also reflected in relatively high product cost and high retooling cost.